Assisted Living in Texas

Cost of Assisted Living in Texas
According to the 2012 A Place for Mom Senior Living Costs Survey, the median monthly cost to live in an assisted living one bedroom apartment in Texas is $3,189.

Best Places to Retire in Texas 2012
San Antonio Texas: 263 days of sunshine per year. Attractive city with a low cost of living. Per capita, San Antonio has five times as many libraries and museums as Austin; seven times as many as Houston. (AARP Best Places to Live on $100 a Day)

Top Cities in Texas

Assisted Living Rules and Regulations in Texas

Assisted Living Terms Used in Texas

Assisted Living

Assisted Living Licensing in Texas

There are three different levels of licensure for assisted living in Texas:

• A Type A facility cares for residents who do not require routine attendance during sleeping hours and are capable of following directions in an emergency.
• A Type B facility is for residents who require staff assistance to evacuate, are not capable of following directions in an emergency and require nighttime attendance.

Required Staff Training

• All staff members must have an orientation of at least four hours, including the reporting of abuse and neglect, confidentiality of resident information, emergency procedures and resident rights.
• Direct care staff must complete an additional 16 hours of training in orientation and at least 6 hours per year of continuing education.
• At least one continuing education hour must cover behavior management.

Overnight Staffing Laws

• Staff must be sufficient to meet the needs of the residents.
• In a Type B facility, or in a large Type community, a staff member must be awake and available at all times.

Eviction Laws and Resident Protections

• A resident may be required to leave a facility if the resident’s needs can not be met by the facility.
• Residents are protected under the Texas Residents’ Rights which guarantees residents the right to be treated with dignity, respect and consideration, ensures confidentiality of personal and clinical records and entitles them to a life free from mental, physical or verbal abuse.

Service Charges

Facilities must disclose its scope of services and fees on a standardized form developed by the state prior to admission.

Inspection Laws

The Department of Aging and Disability conducts all inspections annually.

Private Payment and Medicaid

Medicaid can sometimes pay for assisted living in Texas. A Medicaid home and community based waiver covers services in assisted living.

Sources and Links

• Texas Long-Term Care Ombudsman
• Texas Standards for Assisted Living Facilities
• Texas Assisted Quality Reporting System